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I 2 SheetsSheet 1. J. E. SANDERS. TUNE SHEET FOE MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

No. 593,165. Patented Nov. 2,1897.

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J.E.SANDERS. TUNE SHEET FOR MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

No. 593,165. Patented Nov. 2, 1897.

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UNITED STATES arnnrr FFICE.

JOHN E. SANDERS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

TUNE-SHEET FOR MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 593,165, dated November 2, 1897. Application filed August 27, 1896. Serial No. 604,107. (No model.)

sheet for mechanical musical instruments and picker-wheel for the same. In the ordinary form of such instruments, commonly known as Reginas, Celestas, or Symphonions, the tune-sheet is composed of a metallic sheet which carries a series of properly-arranged projections or lugs which are adapted to engage with mechanism which in turn is adapted to operate upon the teeth of the comb. None of these instruments, how ever, produce music which is as sweet in tone as the tone of the old and well-known form of Swiss instruments, in which the comb is operated by means of a series of pins carried by a rotating drum, the said instruments having instead a metallic tone due to the vibrations of the metallic tune-sheet.

The object of my invention is to form a tune-sheet of a non-metallic material which vide means for easily and cheaply producing such tune-sheets.

, sheet being substantially the same in its general outline as one of the sheets shown in my pending application, Serial No. 600,586. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a portion of a tunesheet made in the form of a rotating disk adapted to be used in any of the well-known forms of this class of instruments. Fig. 3 is a viewin perspective of an improved form or matrix by means of which the tunesheets may beproduced. Fig. 4 is a detail of one of the matrices. Fig. 5 is a detail of a modified form of matrix. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the form shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section of one of the tunesheets. Fig. 8 is a view showing cooperating means for operating the teeth of the comb. Fig. 9 is a detail of several of the pickerwheels. Fig. 10 is a detail of a single pickerwheel, and Fig. 11 is a modified form of matrix.

In the drawings, 12 indicates a sheet of non-metallic, plastic, and preferably pliable material, such as celluloid, having formed integral with one surface thereof a series of projections or lugs 13, which are adapted to cooperate with the picker-wheels of the musical instrument. If desired, lugs 13 may be reinforced by means of a metallic strip 14:, the head of which may be embedded in the sheet, so that the foot thereof will extend up into the lug, or the lug may consist entirely of the projecting end of such a metallic strip, as shown at 15 in Fig. '7.

Tune-sheets for this class of musical instruments have been heretofore made of metal, the lugs being formed by stamping up a portion of said sheet in various ways, and their formation, While it is considerably cheaper than the production of the old-fashion cylinders, is still quite expensive, and-a separate die or set of dies is required for each tune which is to be reproduced. By forming the tune-sheet of some non-metallic plastic material, such as celluloid, it becomes possible to produce the said sheet by forcing a quantity of such material into a chase 16, into which have been secured several series of small matrices 17 and blanks or slugs 18,

the matrices having formed in their faces a recess having the shape of the lugs 13 of the sheet.

Matrices 17 and slugs 18 are of substan-.

tially the same width as the distance between the teeth of the comb of the musical instrnment, and, being separable one from the other, are adapted to be set up like type, the matrices being properly arranged, so as to repro-' duce in the lugs formed any desired tune, and an ordinary compositor, when provided with suitable and proper copy, can produce the required form. Chase 16 projects above the upper ends of the matrices, so as to proinserted after the matrices and slugs are properly set up in the chase. If it is desired to form the lugs entirely of the exposed ends of the metallic strips, the matrices would be similar to the slugs except that a slot 19 would be formed therein to receive the strip, as shown in Fig. 11.

In the musical instruments heretofore mentioned the teeth of the comb are operated by means of a metallic picker-wheel 20, the teeth of which also are engaged by the lugs carried by the tune-sheet. With the tunesheet formed of material such as celluloid it is advisable that the lugs thereof, instead of coming into contact with the metallic teeth of the picker-wheels, should engage teeth 21 of a wheel 22, formed 'of the same or similar material as the tune-sheet and secured one to each picker-wheel, as shown in Fig. 10.

13y the above-described construction all possibility of a metallic vibration other than the vibrations of the teeth of the comb is avoided, and the tone of the instrument is thus made very sweet and clear.

When the sheets are made in the form shown in Fig. 1, one of said sheets may be formed into an endless band or a series of sheets may be secured together, end to end, as described in my application referred to above.

I claim as my invention a 1. A tune-sheet for mechanical musical in struments, consisting of a sheet of non-metallie, plastic material, such as celluloid, a series of lugs formed integral with one surface thereof, and a series of metallic strips em bedded in said sheet and having a portion thereof projecting into said lugs, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A tune-sheet for mechanical musical lilstruments, consisting of a sheet formed of non-metallic, plastic material, and a series of metallic strips, each of said strips having a head portion embedded in said sheet and each of said strips having a portion projecting from one surface of said sheet, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination in a mechanical musical instrument, of a tune-sheet therefor consisting of a non-metallic plastic material having lugs formed integral with one surface thereof, and a picker-wheel adapted to cooperate therewith, said picker-wheel consisting of a metallic portion adapted to engage with the teeth of the comb and a non-metallic portion adapted to be engaged by the lugs of the tune-sheet, substantially as described.

at. In a mechanical musical instrument, a picker-wheel therefor consisting of a metallic portion adapted to engage with the teeth of the comb and a non-metallic portion adapted to be engaged by the tune-sheet, substantially as described.

JOHN E. SANDERS.

Witnesses:

A. M. Iiioon, M. A'US'IEl-UiTLLER. 

